Flue-cleaner.



PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.,

E. E. JOHNSON.

FLUE CLEANER.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 2.1904.

v I 12/@ 10 J fiflifienforx 57633 65 fiaauwrdET//mwm 1 y:

XML, W

fl 1E STATES Patented February 28 19 ATEN'r Fries.

FLUE LTDLEANEW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 783,869, dated February 28, 1905.

Application filed April 2, 1904. Serial No. 201,305-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. Johnson, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue-Cleaners, of which the following is a complete specification.

Considered broadly, this invention relates to fluid-motors, and relates particularly to fluidmotors comprising a plurality of reci tirocating members so related in their movements that in operation they are adapted to impart a vibratory or oscillatory movement to a member or device to which the motor is applied. Specifically the invention relates to a motor of the type described as embodied in a device for removing the scale from boiler-fines.

Primary objects of the invention are to pro vide an improved motor of the type described which will be simple, strong, and durable and etlicient in its operation, to provide means in a motor o'l this type for starting the same automatically when fluid under pressure is admitted thereto, and to prevent back pressure in the motor by leakage into the pressurechambers of the motor-cylinders.

As theinvention relates to the embodiment of my improved motor in a device for removing the scale from boiler-flees, further objects of the invention are to provide a very compact motor adapted for insertion into the fines of a boiler in connection with an improved form of head pivotally mounted on the body of the motor and adapted to be oscillated rapidly thereby and to provide a head for iiuecleaners of this type of increased strength and eliiciency.

My invention consists of the various features, combinations of features, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings a motor of my invention is fully illustrated, said motor being shown as embodied in a flue-cleaner.

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a motor of my invention shown as embodied in a flue-cleaner. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, taken at ninety degrees to the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 8 3 01 Fig. 1; and 1-, 5, and (5 are views illustrating a modified form of head particularly designed and adapted for removing the scale from the outer surfaces of boilertines.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates the body portion of my improved flue-cleaner, pivotally attached to the front side of which is a head 2. As shown, said head 2 is pivotally attached to the body portion 1 by means of a pin 3, secured in lugs 4L on said body portion 1.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the cleaner as a whole is adapted to be inserted into a boiler-line 5 and to be x'nani iiulated by means 01 a pipe (5, the end of which is secured to a lug or projection 7 on the rear side of the body portion 1 of the cleaner. The pipe 6 will usually be an ordinary iron pipe; but a flexible rubber hose may be used when cleaning bent flues.

For removing scale from the inner surfaces of the lines the head 2 is preferably of the described in general terms as approximating arrow-shaped, the edges 8 of said head being formed at such an angle or taper that as said head vibrates they will strike the sides of the tube throughout their entire length. To provide a head of adequate strength to insure against breaking of the same in use, the shank 9 of the head is made of the same width as the maximum width of the tapered end portion thereof.

Formed at the base ol the head 2 are what may be designated rock-arms 10, said rockarnls being made of suitable width and thickness to provide adequate strength.

A rapid vibratory movement is imparted to the head 2 on the pivot-pin 3 by means of pistons or plungers 11 and 12, litted to and longitudinally movable in suitable bores formed in the body portion 1 of the cleaner in line with the ends of the rock-arms 10 on the head 2.

The pistons or plungers 11 and 12 are adapted to be forced outwardly to impart pivotal movement to the head 2 by means 01 any suitable iiuid, as compressed air or steam, admitted to the closed chambers 13 in the rear oi.

said plungers or pistons. For purposes oi shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which may be convenient reference the chambers 13 will fluid in said pressure-chamber, thus providing hereinafter be referred to as pressure-chamhers.

Fluld under pressure is adapted to be admitted to and exhausted from the pressureand 12 are fitted, fluid under pressure being supplied to said passage ways 14 and 15 through the pipe 6, the rear end of which is'connected with a suitable source of supply of fluid under pressure. Formed in the lateral surfaces of the pistons or plungers 11 and 12 are annular grooves or chambers 16,the relation being such that when said pistons or plungers are retracted said grooves or chambers 16 will be brought into communication with the lateral passageway 15 in the body portion 1 of the cleaner and being preferably such that said passageway 15 will be brought into communication with the chambers 16 just before said pistons or plungers reach the rearward limit of their strokes and will be again closed as the plunger is forced outwardly when said pistons or plungers have completed a desired part of their strokesay one third. Said chambers .16 are made of such length also that the forward ends thereof will pass outside of the bores for the pistons or plungers just before said pistons or plungers reach the forward limits of their strokes, thus bringing said chambers into open communication with the atmosphere and allowing the fluid under pressure to escape therefrom. The chambers 16 are connected with the pressure-chambers 13 by means of passage-ways 17, formed in said pistons or plungers. Vith this construction it is obvious that when the passage-ways 15 are in communication with the chambers 16 fluid under pressure will be admitted to the pressure-chambers 13, which will operate to force said pistons or plungers outwardly. l/Vith the relation of parts described also it is obvious that fluid under pressure will be admitted to said pressure-chambers shortly before said pistons reach the rearward limit of their strike, thus providing a cushion for said pistons or plungers, which will relieve them from all pound or jar in operation. Due to the fact also that thepassage-wa-y 15 is closed when said pistons have completed a predetermined portion of their stroke-say one-third thereof-it is obvious that during the remainder of their strokes said pistons or plungers will be forced outwardly by the expansion of the for the economical working of thecleaner. It is also obvious that as soon as the front ends of the chambers 16 pass outside of the bores to which the pistons or plungers 11 and 12 are fitted the fluid under pressure will escape from the said chambers 16 and also from the pressure-chambers 13, thus reducing the pressure therein to atmospheric pressure and providing for retracting said pistons or plungers without creating a back pressure, which will interfere with practical operation thereof.

To provide for starting the cleaner when the pistons or plungers 11 and 12 are both in their middle positions, the passage-way 15 is so located that in this position of said pistons or plungers said passage-way will be slightly open to the chamber 16 of both pistons in other Words, will have a slight lead-and one of said pistons or plunge-rs (as shown, the piston or plunger 11) is made slightly larger than the other,thereby creating an unbalanced pressure on said piston, which will operate to force it outwardly and to force the piston or plunger 12 rearwardly, thereby starting the motor.

ith the described construction it is obvious that as either of the pistons or plungers 11 or 12 is forced outwardly by the pressure in the pressure-chamber 13, acting on the rockarms 10 it will impart pivotal movement to the cleaner-head 2 and that the opposite arm 10 acting on the opposite piston or plunger will operate to force said piston or plunger rearwardly, and vice versa, and thus that the operation of said motor will operate to impart- 'a continuous vibratory movement to the head 2 as long as fluid under pressure is admitted to said motor. I

To prevent back pressure in the pressurechambers 13 from leaking into said chambers from the chambers 16, means are provided as;

follows: Formed in the surfaces of the pistons or plungers 11 and 1-2 in the rear of the chambers 16 are annular grooves 18, which are connected with the atmosphere by means of passage-ways 19, formed in said pistons or plungers. l Vith this construction it is obvious that any fluid under pressure admitted to said grooves 18 will at once escape through the passage-ways 19, thus effectually preventing its passage into the pressure-chambers 13.

The form 'of head shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings is particularly designed and adapted for removing scale from the inner surfaces of the tubes. For removing the scale from the outer surfaces of the tubes I prefer to use the form of head shown in Figs. 4:, 5, and 6, which consists of a disk 20, having a relatively wide flat shank 21 substantiallylike the shank 9 of the head 2. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2.)

I. claim as my invention- 1. In a valveless motor, the combination with a pivotally-supported oscillating member, of a pair of opposed pistons impinging upon said oscillating member at opposite sides of its pivot, and inlet and exhaust ports controlled directly by the piston movement, the retraction of each piston being accomplished alone by the opposite piston acting through the oscillating member, substantially as described.

2. in a motor, the combination with a body portion provided with suitable bores, pistons of different size fitted to said bores and pressure-chambers at the inner ends of said bores, admission-openings to and exhaust-openings from said pressi1rechambers, means for con trolling said admission and exhaust openings, the relation being such that when said pistons or plungers are in the same position the admission-openings to their respective pressurechambers will be open and means forretracting said pistons or plungers, substantially as described.

3. in a motor, the combination with a body portion provided with suitable bores, pistons or plungers fitted to said bores and pressurechambers at the inner ends of said pistons or plungers, of chambers in the lateral surfaces of said pistons or plungers, passage -ways which connect said chambers with the pressure-chambers at the inner ends of said pistens or plungers, admission and discharge openings in the body portion of said motor, the relation being such that said admission and discharge openings will be brought into communication with the chambers in the lateral surfaces of said pistons or plungers alternately by movement of said pistons or plungers, annular chambers in said pistons or plungers in the rear of the chambers in the lateral surfaces thereof, passage-ways which connect said annular chambers with the atmosphere and means to retract said pistons or plungers, substantially as described.

st. in a motor, the combination with a body portion provided with a suitable bore, a piston or plunger iitted to said bore and a pressure-chamber at the inner end of said piston or plunger, of a chamber :formed in the lat eral surface of said piston or plunger, a pa sage-way which connects said chamber with i l l the pressure-chamber at the inner end of said piston or plunger, admission and discharge openings in the body portion of said motor, the relation being such that said admission and discharge openings will be brought into communication with the chamber in the lateral surface of said piston or plunger alternately by movement said piston or plun ger, an annular chamber in said piston or plunger in the rear of said chamber in the lateral surface thereof, a passage-way which connects said annular chamber with the at mosphere and means to retract said piston or plunger, substantially as described.

5. In a valveless two-cylinder reciprocating engine, the combination of a casing embodying a pair of cylinders open at their forward ends and inlet-ports, apivotallysupported driven member, and a valveless piston working in each cylinder and extending out through the open forward end thereof, the projecting ends of the pistons engaging the driven memher at opposite sides of the pivot and each of said pistons being provided with communi eating ports one leading to the pressure end of its cylinder and the other to the exhaust end of the cylinder, whereby each piston will act as its own valve and the driven member will be utilized to retract the pistons alternately.

6. A valvcless two-cylinder reciprocating engine, comprising a casing embodying a pair of cylinders and inlet-ports, a reciprocating valveless piston working in each cylinder, an oscillating driven member pivoted between the pistons and in engagement with the same, and inlet and exhaust ports in the pistons directly controlled by the piston movement, whereby each piston acts as its own valve and the driven member alone acts to return the pistons alternately after each working stroke.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention .1 aflix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 24th day of March, A. l). 1904-.

EDl'VARD It. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

PHILIP GILBERT, L. Acnes FOLEY. 

